Friday, May 27, 2011

Good Friday Morning, Dan Wells writing, I hope this note finds you well and good spirits!

This morning, I can't help but write about the devastating tornado which ripped though Joplin, these satellite images show the extent of some of the damage.

This image shows a six-block path of destruction.

At least 125 people were killed by the twister on Sunday, which authorities say is the deadliest single tornado in America since modern record-keeping began over 60 years ago.

If you didn't know the half-mile-wide twister with estimated wind speed of 190-198 mph damaged or destroyed somewhere between 10 percent to 30 percent of Joplin and roughly 2,000 structures, estimates the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.

On a personal note, I honestly can't imagine being there, living that nightmare.

I also can’t imagine working in the trenches as a news reporter in that type of loss and devastation. I know there are unbelievable stories of tragedy, heartwarming cases of triumph and a commitment of rebirth.

But this morning, I have a request, as you watch the news footage and see the pain of people you've never met and don't know...remember it could have been any of us.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

One of the greatest friends of my life lives in Italy, and now you have a chance to get to know his way of life -- through his small town's way of eating.

Sheila here. Rayme Marcozzi and I have known each other since third grade. In high school, we were in the marching band, chorus, show choir, and the plays together, and in college, we both majored in the broadcasting field.

Rayme moved to Italy 16 years ago after he met his wife, Claudia (another great story for another day). Rayme lost his job in TV a couple of years back, and not long after that, Claudia lost her job in the clothing industry.

Rayme says, "For the last 10 years, we would always kick around the idea to sell specialty food products from Modena, but we were always too busy with work. When we lost our jobs, we thought that this was a good time to take the plunge and see if we could do it."

This is where their story really begins. Rayme and Claudia have started an artisan food business, called Fine Tastes of Modena (pronounced MO'-duh-nuh).http://www.finetastesofmodena.com/Rayme says, "if you like food, Italy is the place, especially Modena."

I've never been there, so I asked my friend to describe Modena: "A middle size city and like most northern Italian towns, its streets are wider and not winding like in southern Italian towns. It may not be as famous as Florence or Venice, but it does have many art museums, and it once had canals. Modena was once swamp land and they made canals in the city to dry it out. There are several streets that have the word canal in their name, like Corso Canalgrande and Strada Canaletto. Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena, and his birthplace is being turned into a museum, which should be opened this year. " It's also the hometown of opera great Luciano Pavarotti.

Modena is also famous for Balsamic Vinegar. In fact, if it's not made there, it's not the real deal, according to the Italians. I showed Rayme's website to local food expert Rita Heikenfeld, and here's what she said: "You need to check it out to see not only what they have to offer, really quality vinegars, etc., but clear and understandable definitions of the different kinds of Balsamic vinegar. There's so much misleading info out there that if you're going to buy it, you should buy the best."

Living in Modena has provided Rayme with a real education about food. "There are many things and combinations of food here that I would have never thought of eating. Food that my parents would have eaten in the depression or that farmers from their generation would have eaten, like various parts of the pig. Prosciutto is famous and known worldwide, but when was the last time you've eaten chitlins? They eat it here!I would have never imagined that losing my job would help me to eat better. We eat more fresh food and less pre-made, frozen food. We eat pasta every day for lunch such as pasta with tuna, pasta with porro (leeks), pasta with peas, ham and heavy cream, pasta with lentils, pumpkin risotto, and tortellini. We love pasta and the recipes are endless. We love tigelle, a simple dish. It's a disk of bread. You eat it hot, slice it in half and put whatever you want in it, salami, cheese even Nutella. My favorite is how the people here eat it. With pesto Modenese (a mixture of lard, pancetta, rosemary and garlic) and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano."

Gotta tell ya, writing this blog has made me hungry! But back to the reason I'm writing it. I am hoping to turn some people on to my friends' business. Here's how great Rayme and Claudia are. When you place an order online, they don't make it final until they personally email you back with the shipping costs. "We noticed that to certain countries, one shipper is more economical than others. So based on the orders and their destination, we try to find which courier would give the most economical shipping price and best service."

Rayme's discovered a lot of other businesses make money on shipping, i.e. they might add 10% to the real shipping cost. "We don't. There is shipping and handling, what it costs to ship the order plus the cost of the packaging... period. Also, we want to have a more direct relationship with our customers. So if the customer has questions, we want to answer them. If the customer has an account with a courier that is cheaper, no problem!"

My friend Giovanna Trimpe, the author of Holy Chow, told me she's been looking for a long time for a way to get foods from Italy, where she spent part of her childhood, but she didn't know which company to trust. Now she has one. She's already signed up for the Marcozzis' newsletter, and she can't wait to try the online store.

Right now, Rayme & Claudia can only ship a couple of their products to the U.S. because of FDA rules, but they may ask more of their suppliers to register with the FDA in the future. Pedroni's Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and BG Villa Bisini Gambetti's Jams with Aceto Balsamico are available to us now, and I plan to try them soon.

I wish you could meet Rayme. He's one of the funniest guys I know, and he's pretty brave too. The first time he went to Italy to find his Italian family, he didn't know a soul, and he didn't know the language. And how many guys do you know who up and move to another country for a girl? If you met Claudia, you would know why he did. I'm hoping Rayme's new venture will end with (another) sweet reward.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The taste of Cincinnati is a big deal. Did you know it is the longest running culinary arts festival in the country?! It started back in 1979 and is held every Memorial day weekend. It started as a one day festival in Piatt park with about 5,000 people showing up. These days hundreds of thousands show up to sample foods from nearly 50 different restaurants.

You can also enjoy continuous entertainment from such groups as Robin Lacy & DeZydeco, Mark Ballas (from Dancing with the Stars) and my Freekbass who actually taught me how to kind of play bass.

There are 100 different dishes from which to choose. My suggestions: any dish from Arloi Dee. I always ordered take out from this restaurant when it was downtown. You also should check out the famous baked potato soup from the Courtyard Cafe. However all the food is really good so check it out. The Taste of Cincinnati this Memorial Day Weekend. Hope to see you around Fountain Square.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Finally, the weekend weather forcast looks nice.Hi everyone. Rob here.If you're looking for something to do tomorrow, head over the Over-the-Rhine. There you can check out all that neighborhood has to offer. It is the 5th year for the 5k and the 3rd year for the summer celebration. Organizers hoping to build on last year's event and take advantage of all the new businesses in area. The race starts at 10am. All the artists and food vendors will open a at 10 too. Music starts at 11. New this year, kids activities will be available. You can also check out Queen City Underground Tours which will guide you underneath the neighborhood. Frank and Katy says the weather will cooperate with a nice high of 83 degrees. Those who live and or work in OTR have done a great job of transforming the historic neighborhood. You can help them celebrate tomorrow. Have a nice weekend.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Good Morning, and happy Thursday! It seems as if we’ve completely bypassed spring, and went from one extreme to another. This past winter was brutal, so I think everyone was happy when spring finally arrived. But looking back on the data for March and April, we didn’t have much of a comfortable spring. Between the cold spell in late March, to the record breaking wet April… I feel like we’ve missed those “sunny, dry, low-humidity” type days! Yesterday and today we got a good glimpse of what’s to come in the next few months. In fact, yesterday was just shy of a record of 90° set back in 1881! I don’t know about you, but when we get days like yesterday and today, I start to daydream about my ultimate tropical vacation. Where would you go? I’ve decided that I need to visit French Polynesia and the island of Bora Bora! I have to admit, I kind of want to visit just for the name. It’s fun to say! But look at it! So beautiful. I’d like to rent one of those cottages over the sea, lay in a hammock and read a good book while sipping on a tropical drink with an umbrella in it. Some day... Hey, a girl can dream!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A local husband and father went to work last week, committed to protecting us. This morning, his family is waking up without him.

Sheila here, and I didn't know Sgt. Brian Dulle of the Warren County Sheriff's Department, but I know of his family's sacrifice. This is National Law Enforcement Week.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th to be National Peace Officers Memorial Day. 162 of America's police officers were killed in the line of duty last year, and this week their lives were remembered in Washington, D.C. Thousands of police officers and the families of fallen law enforcers were there. I was especially touched by the footage of children and wives. How often do you think about the families who sacrifice every day when their husbands, wives, fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters leave for work? Do you think about the meals they eat alone because of a police investigation? Do you think about their fears, knowing as they do that each day on their loved one's job could be the last of his or her life?

I think about it a lot because I used to live with it. My husband Ric is a retired member of the West Virginia State Police. I will never forget the night he was injured on the job, and a State Trooper showed up at the door of my workplace to take me to the hospital. I can't explain how frightening it was to see him standing there. A drunk driver had slammed into Ric's cruiser and destroyed it. It's only by the grace of God that he survived it, and I vividly remember how poignant it was to watch my then two-year-old daughter Katie with her little toy doctor kit, "taking care" of Daddy. We've had friends whose wives and children were not as lucky, dear friends who lost their lives in the line of duty while Ric was a Trooper.Travis Yates writes on the PoliceOne website, "National Police Week is a time that we should remember the sacrifice but it also a time we should be thankful. Thankful to live where sacrifice is remembered and that sacrifice will forever be engraved on a Wall in our Nation's Capital." 20,000 names are on that wall in Washington, 20,000 brave men and women who sacrificed their lives. And already this year 69 law enforcement officers have done the same, among them Sgt. Brian Dulle. My thanks are not only for the fallen, but also for their families. Abbie Dulle and her children Maddie, Emma and Jackson and dozens of families across America must endure their sacrifice for the rest of their lives.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Good Tuesday Morning, Dan Wells writing I hope this note finds you well and in good spirits!

Last week, I blogged about my Easter Trip to San Francisco, it got me thinking about some of the "Best Cities" or "Most Liveable." I obviously love Cincinnati, but did you ever wonder who tops the list when it comes to a combination of environment, health care, culture and infrastructure?

Drum roll......Vancouver topped the list of the world's most liveable cities for the fifth straight year, according to a new report.

As Reuters is reporting, the 2010 Winter Olympics host scored a whopping 98 percent in the 2011 Liveability Ranking and Overview by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which has ranked the Canadian west coast city at the top since 2007.

Canada dominated the top 10 spots along with Australia, with Melbourne surpassing Vienna, Austria as the world's second most liveable city.

"Mid-sized cities in developed countries with relatively low population densities tend to score well by having all the cultural and infrastructural benefits on offer with fewer problems related to crime or congestion," said Jon Copestake, editor of the report, in a statement.

In 29th place, the top U.S. city was Pittsburgh, with Los Angeles moving up to 44th place and New York coming in at 56th.

London moved up one place to 53rd while Paris came in at number 16. The top Asian city was Osaka at number 12, tying Geneva, Switzerland and beating out the Japanese capital of Tokyo, which came in at 18.

Just thought it was interesting, I also think those that evaluate the list need to look at Cincinnati a little closer!

Monday, May 16, 2011

It was a weekend of dodging rain drops and that is actually what we did on Saturday, during the 2nd annual Recess In The Stadium. Good Morning Everyone, Marzullo Here...The American Heart Association, Children's Hospital, and The Cincinnati Bengals worked together to promote healthy lifestyles and fitness in children. This year over a 400 kids registered to run on the field and get there bodies moving at Paul Brown Stadium. Here are some thoughts, one out of three kids and teens are overweight and obese in our country, in fact since 1963 that number has nearly triples. If we as parents are not vigilant in getting kids active it could lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. So let's all be responsible in lifestyle choices, of course a little candy and sweets from time to time never hurt anyone but being smart and active is important.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

"You are the poem I dreamed of writing, the masterpiece I longed to paint. You are the shining star I reached for in my ever hopeful quest for life fulfilled... You are my child. Now with all things I am blessed." -- Author unknown

Hi, it's Sheila. Every baby is a miracle. Today my second baby turns four years old.

When Ric and I got married, I became a step-mother to two wonderful girls, and when our daughter Katie was born we thought our family was complete. Three beautiful girls with K names, Kasey, Kari, and Kathleen, one red-head, one blonde, one brunette, all as different from each other as strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate.

Then one Valentine's Day a few years back, Ric and I were having a lovely dinner at Nicola's, when he hit me with a bombshell by asking if I wanted to have another baby. I had always wanted another child, but at the same time we felt three children were more than enough blessings. His Valentine's proposal started us on a journey I never could have predicted.

We were overjoyed when I first learned I was expecting, but the joy turned quickly to sadness when I had a miscarriage. We believed there was a reason for it, and few people knew about the pregnancy, so we started over. I lost my second baby in my second trimester. It was devastating. This time we had told friends and family, and making it so many weeks into the pregnancy had given us confidence that this baby was truly coming into our lives. I had a lot of support from friends, several women I knew from church and Katie's school sent cards saying they, too, had experienced miscarriages. One of them wrote: "I felt as if I should apologize to every other woman I knew who'd miscarried, because I never truly understood what it's like." I felt exactly that way. It left a big hole in my heart, but we decided maybe one more baby was not in the cards for us.

So imagine our surprise when we found out we had another baby on the way. It was so surprising that I was walking around feeling dizzy and sick for a couple of weeks before the light bulb went off and we bought a pregnancy test. As the news settled in, so did fear. I found it difficult to believe this baby would be okay, and I was scared to even be happy about it. But God knew differently, and four years ago, on May 11, 2007, Eric came into our world. Yes, every baby is miracle, but Eric was like an angel sent to me from Heaven. He has filled the hole in my heart.

Eric fill every day with laughter. Last week, they were giving away free cookies at our bank. Eric was eating his cookie in the back seat of the car and I asked him, "How's that cookie, Eric? It has a lot of icing." He said, "It's like a fresh blanket of snow."As I tucked him into bed the night before Easter, Eric asked me, "Is the Easter Bunny dressed up like a man?" (I think he meant to ask if the Easter Bunny is a man dressed up like a bunny.)When he performed songs from Sunday School with his classmates this spring, he (quite loudly) asked between each song, "Is it over?"

And recently he told me, "I'm all out of kisses. That was the last one."Finally, one of my favorites: One day Eric and Ric were playing outside, and Eric said, "Daddy, know why I love you so much?" Ric said, "Why, Eric?" Eric replied, "Because you're my old guy!"

Every baby is a miracle. For me, every day, every sleepless night, every hug, every tear, every smile, every part of this journey of motherhood is a miracle.

And if you've experienced miscarriage or the loss of a newborn, you might find this support website to be helpful. It was a tremendous comfort to me. http://www.nationalshare.org/

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I was walking downtown this weekend and remembered how much I love Fountain Square.Hey everyone. Rob here.

The square was packed for Cincy Cinco. There were people doing the samba (I think) in front of a live band. There were entire families enjoying the weather, music and food. There were all kinds of mobile food vendors, including one that was selling arepas. Those are a corn cake that can be stuffed with cheese or meat. Very popular dish in Venezuela and the rest of Latin America. If you missed Cincy Cinco don't worry. There are events planned on the square all summer. Coming up this Friday is Bella Vita. Its a wine tasting event that will feature $1 tastings. You can choose from 60 types of wine. You can also listen to live music as local bands offer free performances. If that's not your thing, what about the "Fish Toss." This event is inspired by Pike's Place Market in Seattle. Teams of four people have 60 seconds to toss whole, raw fish from person to person down a 50 foot course. After watching or taking part in that you can check out one of the restaurants nearby. My suggestion the tuna crudo at Palomino or the wood fired pizza at Vie Vite. There are a ton of things happen on the square as the weather gets warmer. Thought this blog could be a good jumping off point. Find out more http://www.myfountainsquare.com/

Monday, May 9, 2011

Good Morning...How was Mother's Day? Marzullo Here...I hope you all had a great day with mom, my mother Ruthie came down to visit and we had a really nice day with temperatures warming to near 70 degrees it was a great day for some brunch and the zoo! No I did not get her a pumpkin for Mother's Day this is just the only picture I have on my computer here at the office. Speaking of brunch you must try the banana foster french toast at Tellers in Hyde Park! Sooooo Good!!! My mom is great and has supported me in everything I have done and want to do so I thank her so much! She has even been a good sport with some of my high maintenance behavior!! HAHAHA .... After a wonderful weekend we are looking at a really nice week with temperatures warming into the low to mid-80's by Wednesday. Our average high is 72 degrees, so after a chilly week last week in the mid-50's Mother Nature is giving us a break this week. So make plans to get outside in the evening and after work this week you will not regret it. However, we do have a rain chance especially Tuesday morning and then late on Thursday otherwise not a bad trend this week!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Good Friday morning Dan Wells writing! The average person strives for a lot in their life...Right?

Landing a great job, meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right, living in a great city, buying the house of their dreams, driving an amazing car.

People work hard to achieve these goals. Some are lucky enough to even have all of them. But when you really sit down and think about it, is all this 'stuff' really what matters the most?

Unless you have been under a rock for the past few months, you too are aware of what has been happening around the world lately. Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, etc. Destruction has uprooted people from their everyday lives in the matter of seconds.

With all of that said, life is clearly unpredictable, in every aspect, but through the good and the bad chances are, you'll always remember who you were with, who supported you and who was there to break a fall.

We have recently found out that we are going to have to say goodbye to close friends who are moving out of town. They were a big part of the reason we moved here. They were our family on Christmas mornings. We celebrated babies being born, 1st birthdays, and promotions. And as we wish them all the happiness and luck in the world, and are certain we will see them many, many more times to celebrate more milestones, it makes us realize how important friends(aka: family) are.

Everyday life gets so busy and we try and fill it up with so many things to do that we often take for granted the most important 'things' we have in our lives.

You may have that big corner office. You may have the biggest house on the block. You may drive the fastest car on the road. You may be dressed from head to toe in the latest trends. But when you take a minute to think about how easily that 'stuff' can be taken away from you...what do you have?

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Good morning, and happy Thursday, Katy here! Mothers Day is just around the corner, and hopefully the dry weather will hold out to be outside enjoying the day with your mom! (Partly cloudy and low 70s for Sunday as of this morning!) Funny that Mother’s Day is the same time of year that high school and college graduations are. In fact, if I remember correctly, I think Mother’s Day WAS my college graduation day. What better gift for a mother than to see her son/daughter succeed in education? I was thinking back to my high school graduation, and how proud my parents were of me… but it was also around that time that my mom and I’s relationship became much stronger. I was going to college 16 hours away from my family, so it was a big step for me. Some of my friends wondered how I could stay so far away from home. Sure it was hard to say “good bye” when my family was dropping me off for the first day of college.. I think my mom and I cried an hour before we parted ways. But to me it was ok, because she was always just a phone call away. I still talk to her every day, mostly about wedding stuff right now! We’re having a blast and can’t wait for the big day in October! Love ya, Mom.. Happy Mother’s Day!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Everyone loves a bargain, but cheaper prices and lesser quality could mean the end of an art form.

Sheila here, and I'm talking about shoe repair shops. You might ask, art form? In the case of Bert Hanlin, I say yes. The guy is artist. He opened up Hanlin Shoe Repair in Florence more than 30 years ago. I don't remember anymore how I found the place, or how long I've been going there, but Bert has repaired a ton of shoes for me and a few handbags too.

Bert's named for his dad, who has the first location of Hanlin Shoe Repair in West Virginia. Bert and his brothers learned the craft from their dad, growing up in Huntington. He's a quiet guy, who mostly can be found in the back of his store on U.S. 42, repairing tears, replacing heels and soles, and buffing shoes to a high shine. I love smelling the mix of leather and cleaners when I walk in the door.

My friend Jan is the ultimate shoe addict. She will describe a new pair of shoes as if they are made of the finest gold, or perhaps as if they are her new children. She goes into great detail about her new treasures, and her eyes light up like a child's on Christmas morning. Jan recently told me this story about Bert Hanlin.

"My favorite Stuart Weitzman shoes are maroon patent leather platform pumps. Yes, they are to die for! I tore up the leather on the heel and took it to Hanlin's on my way into work. I wanted to wear them that day, but knew I needed to just drop them off to get them fixed, so I wore another pair. When I showed it to him, he said he wasn't sure what he could do with maroon patent leather. He took them to the back, and I swear it wasn't 2 minutes, he came back out with my shoe looking brand new. I was shocked! I asked what I owed him and he said, 'Just have a nice day.' WOW - who does that anymore?! What a way start to my morning - plus, I got to wear them to work that day. I have taken my shoes and handbags there for years, and I am never disappointed with his work. I've even bought shoes that I wasn't all that wild about, knowing that I can take them to him and he will remove straps and make them look like a completely different shoe. I don't know where I would go if he wasn't around anymore."
I was thinking the same thing when I was in Bert's place recently, and I asked him if he's training the next generation to take over Hanlin's. He's not. Bert says he has about 10 years left in him before he retires, and his brother Dennis may take over, but he may just fade into the sunset, a lot like the shoe repair business. Bert told me customers travel hours to his store because small shoe repair businesses are closing right and left. I believe it's not just because shoe repair spots are closing left and right, it's also because of the price and the customer service. At a time when it seems like everything costs more, but you can get your shoes repaired or re-soled and shined up for just a few bucks. It makes so much more sense to me than paying for a new pair. Don't forget your claim ticket if you go. It's the only way Bert can find your shoes! And, ala The Soup Nazi, he might grumble at you if you forget. But like my girlfriend Jan said, Bert's just as likely to make your day, not just with a service we don't see so much anymore, but with a kindness we could stand to see a little more too.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

It was rough. Fun but rough. I thought it would be easier. If you asked me how training was going in February and March, I would have said, "Fantastic!" I had some great 18, 19, and 20 mile runs. In fact, I have never had this many long runs so early in my training. I felt stronger and faster. Confident that I would post a faster time than the Columbus marathon which was a personal record. Then came April. I was over trained and mentally beat up. I was also injured. My hip was killing me and it wasn't healing. So on Sunday, I decided to pull back a little. I will just run with the 3:15 pace team. That's doable right? Ah, No. Can't keep up. The same thing happened with the 3:20, 3:25, 3:30, 3:45, and finally the 4:00 pace team. Each step becoming more painful. This was a different marathon for me. Usually, I running out of gas is the problem. This time the tank was full, but the car was broken. Honestly, I was thinking of giving up. Luckily (or Unluckily) I had a friend waiting for me at mile 22. Ironically the same person who trained me for my fastest marathon, was waiting to bring me to the finish line in my slowest marathon. You may remember him from my previous blogs: "2:39 Boston marathon" Actually had it not been for him, I probably would not had finished. I did though with a time of 4:08. My slowest marathon ever. 30 minutes slower than my first marathon. More than an hour slower than 6 months ago when I ran Columbus. I'm fine with it. My goal was to complete my 11th marathon in 2011. I did that. Now I'm resting. That is until I train for Boston but that doesn't start until November.

Monday, May 2, 2011

"The Death Of Bin Laden Marks The Most Significant Achievement To Date, Against Al Qaeda "...These were the words of President Barack Obama has he addressed the nation Sunday evening on the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Frank Here...When I woke up this morning my phone was lit up with texts and voice mail from friends and family you were awake last night as the news came down, sharing the news of the killing of the master mind behind the 9/11 attacks. As I and you will always remember where we were on 9 /11 I will always remember when I heard the news on the raid of the compound and the killing of Bin Laden. In away this morning reminds me of months after 9 /11 when as Americans we came together and gathered in front of the Red, White, and Blue and stood unified as a country. The difference this morning is a much a more joyous and celebratory mood as our neighbors have gathered from Washington D.C., New York City, and to Boston waving flags and chanting USA...USA...USA! Many of you have made comments on the FOX19 Facebook Page and while this is a joyous day in our nations history many of you have said what many are also thinking we must continue to stay on guard and vigilant...in the coming days and weeks. You share your thoughts and stay on top of this DEVELOPING STORY as http://www.fox19.com/ .